Sprayway TL Torridon XCR Goretex Jacket

Dave G 14
Reviewed: 02 February 2006

GREAT JACKET

Missile proof (slight exageration) Its been everywhere on me and survived. Good looking and nice fitting. Kept me warm in Estonia when I would wear just a Tee and that coat so can't fault it on insulation or wind protection. Picked this up at £180.

Bit noisey, wore it one cold early morning and was aware of it then.

Good jacket maybe for some may not be. I loved it and when I tried it on and tried it out it was great. Out in the field it serves its purpose, it kept me cool and dry only when I stopped was I aware just how cold it was one the face in comparision to the rest of me and the coat did its job and still does.

Ronan Mac Hugh
Reviewed: 07 November 2004

DOES WHAT IT SAYS "ENGINEERED FOR EXTERME WET WEATHER"

kept me and my map dry in some real scottish rain.
very generous sizing.
hood is removable withits own pack sack.

does not wick perspiration too well!
doeas not have chest pockets on the outside or internal pockets.

bombproof, waterproof with 3 great pockets in the right places. did not get in the way of my rucksack straps.
a lot lighter than some of my jackets.

david hogg
Reviewed: 14 April 2003

TOTALLY DEPENDABLE, JUST WHAT I NEEDED

Robust, very waterproof, well-made
Design makes it suitable for when carrying packs

Noisy (but really not an issue when up mountains!), lighter options available, hood can be a pain to attach.

I got this 3 or 4 years ago, and since then it has been completely dependable as a waterproof shell, whether for torrential Glasgow downpours or bad weather up Scottish mountains.

The hood is attached via four studs - good to be able to remove the hood, but putting it on in the rain is a pain. As mentioned, it has a huge map pocket - great for OSs.

I don't have the resources to try different jackets, but for me this was a good buy. It's had 2 Nikwax reproofs and the rest of the time has either been at the bottom of my rucksack or protecting me from the elements. The "noisiness" of the jacket isn't an issue unless you're wanting to wear it at a funeral. A small price to pay for excellent durability.

Simon Cardwell
Reviewed: 17 January 2002

BOMBPROOF BUT SDALY OUTDATED

Indestructable. Barbed wire, thorns, rocks etc have failed to hurt it.
Massive Map pocket.

Heavy, hood is badly designed with no volume adjustment, very baggy cut.

Much better jackets available for the same or less money.

Dan Grey
Reviewed: 08 July 2001

Why in God's name do they still make it?

Indestructable

Heavy, stiff, as breathable as something made by Regatta, crap hood

At £240 (though it is usually heavily discounted) this jacket is a very expensive dinosaur.

Totally superseded by newer designs in XCR, this jackets saving grace is that providing that Sprayway built yours right (hey, you might get lucky), nothing will damage it. Thorn bushs, pointy rocks, and roads (when worn by crashing motorcyclists who were OK) will all fail to penetrate this jacket.

However, any sweat will also fail to penetrate the jacket to the outside. Not many people know this, but old 3L Gore Tex was only half to two thirds as breathable as 2L Gore Tex. That's why everyone was so exited when XCR came along, as now they could have tough 3L garments without it feeling like it was raining on the inside.

The hood 'features' two huge flaps covering the face. Done up, breathing results in a lovely hot, wet, slimy piece of fabric nearly suffocating you covering your nose and mouth. Undone, you can breath, but will have to put up with the pain of the flaps, er, flapping in the wind and slapping you in the face. Nice.

One day archaeologists will unearth these jackets and discover the 'missing link' between Barbours and anything comfortable. Today though, avoid this overpriced dinosaur at any cost.